The New South Wales section of the Princes Highway between Wollongong and the Victorian Border has received a significant investment of $500 million through the 2019-20 Budget, which means South Coast communities will soon see safety upgrades go underway.
“This massive investment will be welcome news for the entire South Coast, which relies on the Princes Highway as a primary commuter and freight route. We will target our investment in order to improve safety, reduce travel times and support local industry and tourism.
“The funding will support the implementation of the Princes Highway Corridor Strategy and deliver a range of upgrades along the Princes Highway,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said.
The half-a-billion dollar investment is expected to fund works including road widening, safety improvements, construction of new overtaking lanes as well as duplication works on key sections and town bypasses.
“This investment will also be a shot in the arm for the South Coast economy, with the project expected to support around 1,800 direct and indirect jobs.
“We are proud to be investing in this nationally significant corridor in order to support local communities, tourism and the South Coast agricultural, energy and timber industries,” Federal Member for Gilmore Ann Sudmalis said.
The upgrades to be done on the New South Wales section of the Princes Highway will be funded by the Australian and State Governments on an 80:20 basis.
The entire Princes Highway runs along the southeast coast of Australia, beginning from Sydney in New South Wales and ending in Port Augusta in South Australia. The highway has a length of approximately 1,941 kilometres - passing through New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia - and it is a vital connection between metropolitan centres including Sydney, Wollongong, Melbourne, Geelong and Adelaide.
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Source: Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development; Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities